Pope thanks crowds on emotional return to ‘second home’ in Peru’s Chiclayo

What the report says

Pope Leo XIV returned to Chiclayo, Peru, on the final leg of his 12-day South America trip, drawing large crowds to the coastal city where he once served as bishop. Al Jazeera reported that the Chicago-born pope, also known as Robert Francis Prevost, was welcomed by worshippers in a region where he spent about two decades as a missionary priest and became a familiar figure for his work with poor communities during floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.

At an open-air Mass at the Pampas de Pimentel esplanade near Chiclayo, Vatican estimates put attendance at about 500,000, with another million people lining the motorcade route. Many supporters waited overnight or traveled in hot weather to see him. During the service, Leo thanked the crowd for its support during his recovery and described his return as a joyful moment. The article says he had lung cancer surgery a month earlier, and doctors later said the cancer was localized and would not require further treatment.

The visit is notable because Chiclayo remains central to Leo’s public identity in Peru; he is still widely known there as “Padre Roberto” and has Peruvian citizenship. His Peru stop follows earlier visits to Argentina and Uruguay and comes amid his first major tour of South America as pope. According to the report, he will remain in the Chiclayo area until Sunday for several events, including a private dinner with priests he previously oversaw.